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Volunteer or Donate

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas is a vital organization bringing greatly needed programs and services to thousands of Veterans. Volunteer contributions help supplement these services and make their hospital stay more enjoyable.

Volunteering

This is a great opportunity to join our team to "serve those who have served." Volunteers can perform a number of services; an individual's talents are closely matched with one of our many assignments.

More info on: Adult Volunteer Program More info on: The application period for the 2015 Summer Teen Volunteer Program is now closed. We are no longer accepting questionnaires.

Help pick-up outpatients receiving treatments or therapy and other outpatient appointments. To fill this role, you must have a current, valid Texas driver’s license and automobile insurance and pass a physical exam. Hours vary.

Donations

No time to volunteer? Thank a Veteran online in 5 minutes through E-Donate, a new online donation option that provides community members who wish to give back to Veterans at MEDVAMC a simple, safe way to pledge their support to the account of their choice. The E-Donate option allows donors to select from a number of accounts to donate to.

Donations can be made by credit or debit card. The actual donation is made through a secure site at the U.S. Department of Treasury’s www.pay.gov. A minimum of $5 is required for online donation.

E-Donate also provides the option to make a donation in honor of or in memory of a loved one, or other person of your choice.

Accounts currently available to donate to under “Program for Donation” are listed below. More accounts will be added in the future.

General Purpose Fund (GPF 9006) - Donations used to assist Veterans and/or their families with general patient activities, including the Patient Coffee Cart Program.

Recreation (GPF 9002) - Donations used to facilitate patient therapeutic activities for leisure education programs, such as admission to sporting events, movies, and providing lunch for patients while on community outings.

Social Work Emergency Fund (GPF 9004) - Donations used to provide assistance to Veterans and their families during times of need. Covers costs that aren’t part of the Veteran’s healthcare benefit package and for family members caring for a disabled or ill Veteran.

Recreation Patient Activity (GPF 9032) - Donations used to support special patient programs, such as the National Veterans Golden Age Games.

Visual Impairment (9011) – Donations used to support the needs of the Visual Impairment Services Team

Fisher House (GPF 9031) - Donations used to support special needs of the Fisher House.

Books and Magazines

MEDVAMC welcomes donations of hardbacks and paperbacks. These donations help enrich and improve the our resources.MEDVAMC accepts books as donations with the understanding that they may be added to the collection or distributed throughout the medical center.

Monetary Donation Needs

MEDVAMC has many monetary donation opportunities. Donations can be made to General Post Fund Accounts to be used for the Social Work Emergency Fund, Recreation Therapy activities, the Patient Holiday Party, OEF/OIF Program, televisions in the patient rooms, the Homeless Program, the Domiciliary, the Women Veterans Program, the Fisher House, the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, and the General Patient Fund.

In the memo portion of the check, please indicate the General Post Fund number and the intent. Donations to the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center are tax deductible.

Non-Monetary Donation Needs

Every donation, no matter how large or small, makes a difference in the lives of our Veterans. We could not provide many of the services for our Veterans if it were not for the generosity of people in the community, the Veteran's service organizations, fraternal organizations, and businesses. Contact Voluntary Service for more information on ongoing programs and projects that need your help. Your contributions help build strong, healthy communities and demonstrate the importance of citizen participation.

Donations are accepted to help provide our Veteran patients with many things to make their periods of hospitalization and outpatient treatment more bearable.

Please contact the Voluntary Service Office at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Room 2A-104 at (713) 794-7135 or vhahouvolunteer@va.gov to arrange for acceptance of your donation.

VA accepting officials may decide to reject offers of gifts or donations of items for any reason including because there is no anticipated need for the items or the maintenance of the items would be out of proportion to their value. We are responsible for providing safe and clean donations. Items that do not meet these criteria will be refused.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that under the Tax Code, donations to the Department of Veterans Affairs' General Post Fund for exclusively public purposes are deductible from federal income taxes in the manner and to the extent allowable. The announcement reflects the tax law provision which makes those donations deductible as "donations to the United States." A donation to support any of the Department's programs are deductible, whether the donor directs that the donated funds be used for a specific purpose or allows the Department to decide how the donated funds will be used.